Ice cream making machines are known which use a rotating beater cooperating with a stationary counter-beater.
A machine which is provided with such a beater combination is, for example, the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,853 which comprises a rotating peripheral beater, cooperating with a stationary counter-beater carried by a central shaft which is steadily secured at one end thereof to the front door of the freezing cylinder, and is idly supported at the opposite end by the drive shaft of the rotating beater.
Another machine provided with a beater of this kind is the one manufactured by the Firm Taylor Freezer, in which the stationary counter-beater is in the form of a U-shaped member steadily secured to the ice cream dispensing door and provided with means for rotatably supporting one end portion of the rotating beater.
The drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art devices comprising a stationary counter-beater cooperating with a rotating beater can be summarized as follows:
(a) Since the counter-beater is steadily fastened to the closure door for the freezing cylinder, the removal of said door (for inspection, periodic cleaning, or the like) is quite difficult and time-consuming, and in certain cases (such as in the machine of the mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,523,853) involves the complete dismantling of the entire beater assembly.
(b) By these known devices it is very difficult, if not impossible, to convert an existing machine without counter-beater into a machine provided with a counter-beater unless substantial modifications are made to the machine such as, inter alia, the replacement of the existing freezing cylinder door with a new modified door.